Well 2016, it’s safe to say this year has been a whirlwind. Throughout the last 12 months, we’ve witnessed some of the craziest moments in pop culture and entertainment history. From a bizarre presidential election to celebrities breaking up to hilarious internet memes, we are all in agreement that 2016 was one of the most OMG years of all time. As the year comes to a close, let’s reminisce on the 14 most insane, jaw-dropping pop culture moments 2016 had to offer.
1. Brangelina Splits
The power couple to end all power couples got divorced? We still can’t believe this is true. On September 19, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie filed for a divorce. After 12 years and 6 children together, Jolie decided to split from her longtime partner. If Brangelina can’t last, then there’s no hope for the rest of us.
2. #KimExposedTaylorParty
Whether you’re a Kim or Taylor fan, this was probably the most popular Twitter hashtag of the entire year. After lots of back and forth about Kanye’s song “Famous,” Kim Kardashian defended her husband by posting videos on Snapchat of a recorded phone call between West and Swift, in which Swift approves the song’s lyrics. Obviously the internet went absolutely crazy, and even celebrities got involved in the feud.
3. Beyoncé’s Lemonade
Who could forget “Becky with the good hair”? The entire world wanted to know who Bey was referring to. We finally got our answer, but we’re still not over Lemonade.
4. Taylor Swift and Calvin Harris Break Up
This has been such a tough year for Taylor. After 15 months of dating, she and Calvin Harris broke up—and it was nasty. We were all happy thinking Tay had finally found a good guy to date, so we were shocked when they ended things. But we moved on right about the time T. Swift started smooching Tom Hiddleston.
5. Kanye West’s “Famous” Music Video
In July, Kanye released the music video for his controversial song “Famous,” which featured naked wax figures of famous celebs including Kim Kardashian, Donald Trump and Taylor Swift. We can’t help but wonder what the slew of famous faces really thought about being exposed in this way.
6. Prince’s Death
The world was heartbroken when legendary singer Prince passed away. On April 21, it was reported that he died from a drug overdose at the age of 57 in his home in Minnesota. His songs will forever remain in our hearts. RIP.
7. Damn Daniel
Back at it again with the white vans! High school students Joshua Holtz and Daniel Lara were the masterminds behind this insanely viral video. It’s hard to explain why the video was so funny, but everyone loved it and for a while, it was all we could talk about.
8. Leonardo DiCaprio Wins an Oscar
After years of incredible acting and hit movies, actor Leonardo DiCaprio finally received a well-deserved Oscar for his outstanding performance in The Revenant. Fans everywhere rejoiced for this victory—it was a long time coming. Not gonna lie, we kind of cried when it happened.
9. Gilmore Girls Revival
“Where you lead, I will follow.” The coffee-drinking mother-daughter duo from Stars Hollow returned to TV in a four-part Netflix series, which was released in November. If you haven’t seen every episode of the original series, you probably won’t fully understand the importance of this revival. Creator Amy Sherman-Palladino really outdid herself, and fans went absolutely crazy, especially after the final four words were revealed. If you haven’t seen it, go watch it now! It will not disappoint.
10. Kim Kardashian Gets Robbed
During the early hours of October 3, Kim Kardashian was robbed inside her Parisian apartment, losing millions of dollars worth of her belongings. Kim stated that she was “badly shaken but physically unharmed.” We love you, Kim—you are strong!
11. Britney Spears Makes a Comeback at the VMAs
It’s Britney, bitch. During the 2016 VMAs, Britney Spears returned to the stage in an iconic performance, which featured her latest hits “Make Me” and “Me, Myself & I.” After taking a break from the spotlight, Spears’ fans lost it when they saw her absolutely slay the VMAs stage with rapper G-Easy. We really wish she would have done a compilation of all her famous hits from her entire career, but we’re just so happy Brit Brit got back on stage again.
12. Super Bowl 50 Halftime Show
Here comes Beyoncé slaying again. During Super Bowl 50 in February, Queen Bey, Coldplay and Bruno Mars collaborated for an outstanding performance during halftime. Let us not forget this is when we all got in formation.
13. Kylie Cosmetics Blows Up
Kylie Jenner really grew up this year by becoming a full-fledged businesswoman. Months later and we’re still waiting for her to restock those beloved Lip Kits.
14. Kelly Ripa and Michael Strahan Feud
Kelly and Michael’s morning show dealt with some drama earlier this year when co-host Michael Strahan announced he was leaving without informing Ripa. Kelly took a few days off, and when she returned, she shared an inspiring message about respect in the workplace. Since then, Ripa hasn’t found a permanent replacement, but here’s hoping she finds the perfect fit in 2017!